Closure



March 30, 1937. N WERK, JR 2,075,074

CLOSURE Filed Mar'oh 18, 1955 fa fa ATTORNEY.

Patented Mar. 30, 1937 UNETED STATES CLOSURE Nicholas H. Wierk,

Jr., Oakland, Calif.

Application March 18, 1935, Serial No. 11,610

1 Claim.

1.; a closure which is very simple mechanically, in

order to lessen the cost of fabrication and installation.

A further object of my invention is to provide a closure which will operate automatically to act 3.; as a seal when the door or win-dow to which it is attached is in closed position and which Will move to an inoperative or non-cealing position when the structure to which it is attached is in open position.

2U An additional object of my invention is to provide a closure which can serve as an original installation on a door or window and which can readily be applied to -the obverse or the reverse face of a door or a window already in place.

25 The foregoing and other objects are attained in the embodiment of the invention illustrated in the drawing, in which Fig. l is a side elevation of a closure constructed in accordance with my invention and applied to the lower edge of a door, portions of the ligure being broken away to reduce the size thereof.

Fig. 2 is a cross-section, the plane of section being generally on a longitudinal, vertical plane through the central portion of the closure of my invention, parts of the structure being broken away to disclose the construction thereof.

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary view showing in perspective the closure of my invention applied to the obverse side of a door.

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary view showing in perspective the closure of my invention applied to the reverse side of a door.

Fig. 5 is a cross-section showing in plan the operation of the closure of my invention as it is applied to a door.

Fig. 6 is a cross-section of a door to which the closure of my invention is applied in an alternative manner.

In its preferred form, the closure of my invention comprises a frame which is designed to be attached to a structure such as a door or a window, the frame carrying a sealing strip which is movable with respect thereto and which in projected position is intended to seal the remaining 55 opening between the door and the floor, for instance, and which in retracted position is intended to clear the floor by a substantial amount, the sealing means being operated by an actuator which is moved longitudinally of the frame by contact with the door frame when the door is in closed position. The motion of the actuator is preferably transmitted to the sealing strip by a plurality of leaf springs which are attached to the frame, to the actuator and to the strip in such a way that they resiliently urge the strip to project from the frame upon longitudinal displacement of the actuator and likewise restore the strip to retracted position upon release of the actuator.

Although the closure of my invention is adapted for use in various different environments, especially on closures of the sliding and of the leaf type, such as sliding doors, easement Windows and hinged doors, and while it is susceptible to various modifications in detail to t it for service in special circumstances, I have chosen to illustrate it herein as it is applied to a door of the leaf type. A door of this character is disclosed in Fig. 5, wherein there is shown a door frame 5 having a jamb 'I adjacent which there is 2 fastened a hinge or butt 8 likewise secured to the door 9, so that the door swings in the direction of the arrow II. As illustrated, the door is in open position, so that the inner edge I2 of the door is spaced away from the jamb 1.

In accordance with my invention, I preferably provide the lower edge of the door 9 with a closure, generally designated I3. The closure lncludes an actuator, one portion I4 of which projects from the general body of the closure in order to abut and contact a button I6 embedded in the jamb 'I and which, upon closing movement of the door 9, translates the actuator I4 longitudinally of the closure I3 and thereby causes an actuation thereof. When the door is moved into open position, shown in Fig. 5, the actuator I4 is released, leaving its contact with the button I6, and the mechanism is moved to its inoperative or retracted position.

In the form of closure shown herein, I preferably provide a mounting frame 2l which is in the form of a metal channel U-shape in crosssection. The channel is of considerably greater length than width or thickness, and is preferably attached either to the obverse face of the door, as shown in Fig. 3, or to the reverse face of the door, as shown in Fig. 4. To effect such an attachment, the channel is preferably pierced t0 provide a plurality of different sized apertures 22 and 23. These apertures pass through both legs 24 and 26 of the channel in alignment, but are of different size in each leg. This is for the purpose of permitting the head of a screw to pass through the enlarged aperture 22 in the leg 26, for example, but to engage the smaller aperture in the other leg 24. Conversely, the aperture 23 in the leg 26 corresponds and is in alignment with the enlarged aperture 22 in the leg 24. In this way, the mounting member is interchangeable for lo use on either side of the door.

Adapted for movement relative to the channel 2l is a sealing means, generally designated 21, which preferably includes aA smaller channel 28, the legs 29 and 3| of which tightly grip a strip l5 32 of any suitable material, such as rubber. The channel 28 is freely movable into and out of the channel 2l, in order that the sealing strip 32 can be retracted to clear the floor above which the door swings, or can be expelled in order to come into contact with such floor. Preferably, the

length of the channel 21 and of the strip 32 is substantially equal to the length of the door. In order to retain the channel 21 in its desired path of motion, and in order to provide it with an automatic. actuation depending upon the position of the door 9, I preferably provide an actuator 36, which comprises a relatively long metallic rod eX- tending throughout the lengthof the channel 2| and guided for rectilinear movement therein by 30 means of blocks 38 which are held to the channel 2| by suitable fastenings 39. The rod36 is cut away to provide guide-ways 42 which make a freely sliding t with the blocks 38. The extreme end of the rod 36 is preferably bored and threaded, as at 43, in order to receive the stud I4 having an enlarged head 44 for contact with the button |6. Because of the threaded connection between the rod 35 and the stud I4, any desired amount of projection can be obtained in order to adjust the device.

To relate the rod or actuator 36 with the channel or sealing strip 21, and in order to maintain the parts normally in a selected position, I preferably provide a yielding motion transmitting 45 means intermediate the actuator and the sealing means, which preferably takes the form of a plurality of leaf springs 46 which are spaced apart at suitable intervals along the channel 2|. Conveniently, one end of each leaf spring46, for in- 50 stance, is fastened under the head of astud 39 and abuts a block 38, while the other end of each leaf spring is attached by a fastening 59 to the rod 36. In the present instance each leaf spring is reinforced by a spring plate 41, both of which are anchored adjacent the middle of the compound spring so formed, by a fastener 48 which passes through the springs 46 and 41 and through the channel 21. When the rod 36 is translated,

say toward the left in Fig. 2, and since one end of each spring is anchored by a Vfastening 39, the central portion of each spring is buckled from the solid line'position lshown in Fig. 2 ill 3 me dotted line position 5I shown in such figure, thereby translating the sealing strip 32 transversely of the channel 2| into yie.1."fngor`resilient contact with the floor. Since there isa plurality of yielding intermediate springs, slight irregularities in installation orin the floor surface are compensated for by different degrees of yielding of the springs.

When the actuator 36 is released from contact with the button I6 by opening of the door, for instance, the inherent resiliency of the springs causes them to reassume the solid line position shown in Fig. 2 and to restore the strip 32 to retracted position.

In installing the device, the channel 2| is secured either to the Vobverse face 52 of a door, as shown in Fig. 2, or to the reverse face 53 of a door, as shown in Fig. 4, and in either instance, after installation of the closure itself has been made, I preferably provide a finishing strip 54 which can be provided with any suitable surfacing finish, either to match the door or otherwise, which is simply slipped into position with a depending flange 56 thereof frictionally; engaged between the channel 2| and the face 52 or 53 of the door. This member'54 is primarily for the purposev of appearance and can be omitted in the event the channel 2| itself carries an appropriate surface finish.

In certain instances it is preferable not to aiix the'closure to a face of thedoor, and in those instances rI preferably provide the lower portion of the `door with a recessed channel or rabbet 51 which extends for substantially the full width of the door and which is of sulicient size conveniently to receive the channel 2| frictionally. In addition, the channel is preferably held in place by ears 58 which are upturned from each end of the channel and which are suitably pierced as at 59 to receive screws or otherfastening; means.

I Claim: :1:1:- V; z'

v A closure fora door comprising a frame, a sealing strip movable bodily with respect to said frame, ajplurality of apertured blocks on said frame, an actuatorj having slots thereinl encompassing said blocks to guide said actuator,Y a plurality of leafv springs each being perforated at one end adjacent to one of said blocks,'and being secured at the other end to said actuator and adjacent the center to said sealing strip, and a common fastener for each'of said springs passing through the perforationjtherein, through the aperture in said blockand through said frame.

' NICHOLAS H. WIERK, JUNIOR. 

